The Push For Survival
by J. Coburn
Summary: This is a story about an all out Imperial attack on the craftworld of Altansar. Lord Commissar Forninn struggles with his past and the new up coming war. Guardsman Lucas is stuck in the middle of the war at the front lines. Exarch Elsandria must try to survive the Imperial Onslaught. Magos Errant Flavion struggles with his fear... no will to finish. this is a skeleton of the story
1. Chapter 1

Bombs crashed into the earth. Forninn rushed through the thick swamps with his men close behind. Huge vines and unnatural growths hung from the branches obstructing Forninn's view. He did his best to jump over the large roots coming out of the ground and push through the brush. The tropical world of Charmissa IV was packed with dense jungles, deadly animals, and Orks. The population of Orks on the planet have begun to group together under the banner of a new War Boss. The waaagh spread from the southern continent towards the northern one. The local PDF couldn't contain them so they sent out the distress call and the 747th Cadian regiment responded to the call. Forninn, a veteran Commissar who has served as the regimental Lord Commissar for the 747th for almost fifty years.

Forninn's squad came to an opening in the trees and came to a halt. There were more than four scores of Orks moving towards the western battlefront. One of the Orks, most likely a Nob, turned at the sound of the Guardsmen slushing through the knee deep water. He then grunted at the smaller Orks and pointed at them. The Orks turned their attention to them, thrilled to have something to fight and all in unison roared out WAAAAAAAAGH! The horde then rushed at the Guardsmen.

Forninn pointed at the Orks with his powerfist and yelled out: "Kill them in the name of the Emperor! FIRE!"

The Guardsmen then unleashed a wave of las bolts into the onrushing horde. One Guardsman welded a flamer and unleashed a blast of the burning promethium into the Orks. Many of the Orks died but came too close for comfort.

"Fix bayonets!" Forninn cried to his men. They all placed the bayonets on their lasguns and stood ready.

"We'll do the Emperor proud men!" He shouted, "Let us show these greenskins the might of the Emperor!" With that, Forninn charged into the Ork ranks. His men followed suit, all inspired by his noble action. The Guardsmen all cried out in unison, "For the Imperium, for the Emperor. CHARGE!"

The Guardsmen ran forwards, firing their guns from the hip, not caring what they hit. They thrust their guns forwards into the nearest greenskin. Forninn slammed his powerfist into the face of one, crushing its skull. His fist sinking inwards. The Orks were stronger than the Imperials and had a distinct advantage over them. Large axes felled more Guardsmen than Guardsmen felling the Orks. Forninn wrestled with the Ork Nob. It swung a large chainaxe blindly, hitting other Orks in the process. Uncaring, it pushed Forninn backwards. Forninn saw his chance as the Nob raised its axe, he quickly slammed his powerfist, at full power, into the Nobs knee. It roared in pain and slumped forwards. Forninn then threw another punch at the Nobs face, but the Ork saw the strike coming. It reached forwards and grabbed Forninn's left arm and crushed it in its grasp. Forninn cried out in pain and tried to remove himself from the beast. The Nob then swung with its axe which dug into Forninn's chest armor and the outer layer of his flesh. It then threw him backwards into the water. The Guardsmen then began to retreat back into the treeline. Two of them grabbed Forninn from where he lay and dragged him along. Forninn then blacked out.

Forninn sat up in his bed sweating. Only a dream. He thought. He then rose from his bed and rubbed water in his face. Forninn's room was empty. With the exception of a few trophies and honors he acquired over the years. Forninn sat back on his bed and looked at the floor. After several minutes he got back up and got dressed. He then left the dark of his room and made his way towards the mess hall aboard the Iron Will. The area was massive, as it was built for the occupation of thousands of humans.

"Good morning sir!" Called a bright voice full of confidence from behind him. Forninn turned towards his aide who was carrying some food for him. The boy was most likely in his eighteenth year. He has never seen action as his skin was smooth and clear of any scar or deformities. He had blue eye that stood out from his brown hair, which was slicked back and was cut short. He had a roman nose and a stature that gave off nothing but the sense of royalty. His voice was sharp and calm. It had an intelligent sounding feel to it. Many women considered him handsome and well built for his age. Forninn enjoyed his presence too.

"Good morning lad. You seem rather pleasant this morn- day, I guess. Hard to tell when you in warp translation no?"

"Indeed sir." The aide responded. "I'll tell you my reasoning once we reach your office, sir."

"Very well then." Forninn then marched off towards his onboard office and sat in his seat. His aide then placed the tray of food down in front of him. It was fried grox meat slices, seasoned with many exotic spices, with two over easy eggs and some rice filled dumplings. There was also a cup of recaf next to him.

"Think you lad. It seems that you had my favorite meal prepared for me today." Forninn commented.

"Well sir, it is your birthday today."

Forninn made a puzzled look. "Really?" He asked.

"But of course sir! You are seventy-six today, and you're still in perfect health."

Forninn completely forgot about his birthday. "Throne I'm old." He remarked. His aide laughed and ran his hand through his hair. "And none the wiser."

Forninn laughed as well. "To the warp with you! You're probably right on that though."

The two both began to laugh again. The two then began to chat with each other about idle gossip and talk amongst the men. They both occasionally put in a joke or two into the conversation. Forninn was glad to have an aide like him. He felt like he knew him for ages. Before long Forninn had to go to work and file papers for the generals to look at.

"Franz, may I ask you a question?" Forninn asked before his aide could leave.

"Of course sir, is something wrong? You never address me by my name unless it is important."

"Well, you see I have been having dreams about my last campaign again."

"And you would like me to share dinner with you, am I right?" His aide put in.

"Yes, very much so."

His aide smiled and nodded to him. "Shall I bring that bottle of Chthonian wine that I spoke of?"

"If you want." Forninn said. "Oh, and thank you for putting up with my problems again."

"There is no need to thank me sir, I'm just doing my job." With that, Franz left his office to carry out his duties. What a good lad he is. Forninn thought. I hope he never gets to see the field.

Franz marched through the sea of bodies and made his way to a less dense section where he could stop and sit for a moment. He scanned the masses of Guardsmen. He heard a loud annoying voice coming from nearby.

"Lucas! Get a load of this!" A single female shouted out over the voices. A man with half cast eyes turned and grimaced. The female began to pest him. Franz began to chuckle to himself.

"Poor bastard." He said. He then sighed and thought of home. I wonder how father is doing these days. He never did want me to come into the Guard, but look at me now. I'm serving one of the best Commissars of our generation, at least I think so. He then got up and went on with his business. He traveled through the mazes of the Iron Will's hallways. After a long distance, approximately two miles of travel, he arrived at the enginarium. Franz looked around and walked over to a techpriest not doing anything in particular, and questioned him.

"Where is Magos-Errant Flavion? I was told he would be here at 07:00."

The techpriest turned towards him. His face was nothing but a mass of tubes and cables with one bionic eye in the center of his face. "Magos Flavion is late."

"I can tell." Franz groaned and tapped his foot. "Where is he?"

The techpriest said "We don't know, we have sent messages to him but he has yet to respond."

Franz rolled his eyes and sat down on a crate nearby. The massive forms of the Engine motors were about four meters tall and were eight in diameter. Hundreds of cogitators were lined along the motors with servitors managing them. Several Imperial workers were moving around, checking everything, making sure that everything was in order. Some were arguing with the techpriests and Enginseers.

A servo skull hovered in front of Franz's face and scanned him. He swatted at it trying to shoo it away but it simply flew back to avoid him and when it was satisfied it flew off. He sat there grumbling to himself. I hate the Mechanicus. They're disgusting subhumans. Nothing more, nothing less. Franz's mind began to drift back towards his life on the planet of Versailles VI.

It was a small world, an agricultural world. It produced thousands of spices and plants for the Imperium everyday. He remembered his sweet lover, Farla. She was a kind girl, very sweet and caring. She had large round eyes of a greenish hue. Her lips were soft and gentle. She had long silky black hair that reached down to her rear. Her face was a thing of beauty. Her innocent features made Franz feel like jelly. She had a small bosom as her frame was rather small. She was born a farmers daughter, so his father did not approve of her as a suitable choice of a bride, but Franz loved her deeply and she did too. He would sneak out of his father's palace and take her from her home and they would run into the meadows and lay together.

One day, his father sent out a search party and found them together. He was furious. He sent his men to arrest the girl and take his son back. In Franz's desperation he killed one of the men who tried to grab his lover. He then took her and ran. They ran and ran until his father's men finally trapped them. It took them five months to find them. When Franz was taken before his father he was enraged. He promised that she would die slowly and he would never leave the house again.

Franz visited Farla as much as he could. He would sneak her food and drink. They would talk to one another and kiss through the bars. Franz's father grew tired of this game and caved in. Franz was soon married to Farla. They made love, and soon, he was a father.

Franz came back from his memories when a servitor bumped into him. He sighed and grabbed a necklace his lover gave him. It was a small locket that millions of people tend to receive from their lover. inside was a picture of Farla. Every time he looked at that picture he felt everything was right in his life, he had the one thing he wanted most. He clenched the locket and prayed for their child to grow old and find a lover of their own. He put the locket back in his shirt and sighed again. Oh how I miss you my sweet, sweet Farla. Please wait for me.

Forninn began writing his report over an hour ago. He didn't like the way it sounded. He deleted the file and began working at the dataslate again.

Lord General Harris,

Seeing how our last campaign was completed on Charmissa IV on removing the Ork Waaagh. We requisitioned a total of fourteen thousand men to replenish our ranks. Our troops have been rearmed and we are now deploying to the xeno species Eldar Craftworld of Altansar. They have invaded Imperial space, location Sol System date 985.634 M41. The Eldar Craftworld fled the Sol System and arrived near the outer fringes of the Eye of Terror. The High Lords of Terra deemed this a threat and have sent four of the Cadian Regiments to perform a search, inform and destroy operation. One of the nearby Forge Worlds as sent a Legio Titanicus to assist the destruction of the Craftworld of Altansar. The current morale of the 747th, 68th, 493rd and 196th Cadian regiments is considerably level. The 68th is facing a regiment wide downslope of morale. The Lord Commissar and his lackeys are doing their best to raise the morale issues. The 747th is rather high in terms of morale. I have ordered my fellows to keep the soldiers happy and stress free. The other two regiments of the 493rd and the 196th have yet to sent their reports. The Naval ship captain of the Iron Will is rather upset at this deployment. He has continuously questioned and attempted to doubt our objective and its worth. I have placed him on an execution order and will request that the action may be carried out soon. Fabricator Dorriah is joining our quest in an attempt to guide her Legio and help the collection of data.

This concludes my report on the current status of our objective and forces.

Lord Commissar Forninn

Forninn sighed and decided to keep this version of the report. He then put down the dataslate and grabbed a bottle of asmec. He then poured some into his recaf and drank deeply. The bitter taste of the asmec along with the burnt taste of the recaf made him shudder.

"I'm get too old for this type of job." Forninn groaned to no one. He then took another swig of his nasty drink. Once empty, he stood and grabbed the slate off of his table and marched off towards the Lord General's office.


	2. Chapter 2

The mess hall of the Iron Will was bustling about and full of Imperial Guardsman eager to move on to their next campaign. The air was thick of sweat and the smell of processed foods. The metal deck plates sung as the mass of men and women marched around the massive room.

Serah looked up at the ceiling. It was covered with cables and wires snaking around each other. Hundreds of antenna hung from the ceiling like needle shaped stalagmites. Several Servo-skulls hovered above the crowd of people. Serah scratched her dirty-blonde hair in frustration. Where is that sly little dolt at now? Serah wondered.

She began to wander around through the mass when she found the man she was looking for.

"Lucas! Get a load of this!" Serah shouted out towards a young guardsman. He looked over with his half cast gaze and made a grimace with his dry lips. His face was smooth and spotless. No hair was on his head except for his eyebrows and the short tangled mass on top of his scalp. The young man scratched his sharp nose. Oh boy, he thought, what does she want with me? Lucas sluggishly moved towards Serah. She quickly moved towards him and grabbed his hand.

"Come on now you slug!" She shouted, "Quit dragging your feet. You're gonna miss all of the fun."

"Why must you shout? I'm right next to you." Lucas mumbled, in his quiet, hushed voice.

Serah shrugged, "It's fun that's why."

Lucas frowned.

"What?" She yelled.

"Stop shouting." Lucas groaned

"Why?" She asked.

"It's annoying." He responded

"You think everything is annoying." Serah complained.

"You don't think anything is annoying." Lucas countered.

"That's because unlike you, I love to move and be free!" Serah shouted.

"The Emperor doesn't like it when you shout and stamp your feet around like a child." Lucas snapped.

"You don't know the Emperor."Serah said accusingly.

"Yeah well I do know he doesn't like little shits like you." Lucas countered again.

Serah puffed her cheeks, crossed her arms, and pivoted on her heel turning away from him. Lucas smiled and walked towards Serah wrapping his arms around her. "So what's the thing you wanted to show me?"

Serah turned back to him, as if all anger has left her, and grabbed his arm. "There was interesting holodrama that I wanted to show you." Lucas shuddered at the thought.

"Last time you took me to one of those it was about two men standing against a horde of Orks."Lucas complained.

"So? It was good, wasn't it?" Serah said.

"More like unrealistic." Lucas retorted. "Why can't we watch the ones about the glorious Primarchs?"

"Because they are boring, Emperor forgive me." Serah snapped

Lucas sighed as he was dragged off to his impending, four hour, unrealistic doom.


	3. Chapter 3

Flavion marched alongside Philomeleides putting his hand upon its cold steel. his gazed up at its glory. Huge banners hung from its massive guns of all of the battles it has seen. Blessed machine, your mighty hull will never perish. He thought to himself. Philomeleides stood alongside its fellow titans. Thousands of servitors and adepts were moving massive shells into its cannons preparing its guns for the on rushing battle.

Flavion felt little satisfaction at the thought of being sent down with the rest of the forces. Like most priests of Mars, there was something that lingered within his mind that failed to leave during his catharsis. Fear. Fear was the one that never left his body. Flavion had many fears. One was war. He was never ready for it. For the losses they would bear. Most adepts cared not for the losses as they would attempt to turn the fallen into nutrient paste for their Skitarii. Flavion on the other hand could not bear to see the corpse of another man. He was no Enginseer, he was a Magos.

As Flavion stood frozen in his tracks as he heard someone approaching him. He quickly turned on his heels to his his young aspirant, Jerrah. She looked up at him in confusion.

"Is there something wrong my Magos?" She asked. Flavion straightened himself and stood over her.

"No my young one. Everything is fine. I thought I told you to go organize the pict feeds for the Imperials. Why are you not doing your duties?"

Jerrah lowered her head and clutched her hands together. "Please forgive me Magos. I sent someone else to do it for me."

"Why." Flavion demanded.

Jerrah looked at the ground. "I don't like talking to the Imperial officers, they give me weird looks."

"They give you those looks out of lust. They crave after your body." Flavion pointed out.

Jerrah looked at him strangely. "What do you mean by crave for my body?"

Flavion sighed in irritation. "Figure it out, after you deliver the pict feeds."

Jerrah bowed to her Magos and left. Flavion watched her go. He slowly turned away from her. The Magos shuddered at the thought of losing Jerrah. Flavion began to wander around Philomeleides hoping he would find comfort in the machines mighty presence. Although Jerrah was completely unaugmented, minus some logic and neural enhancements and the occasional adrenaline stimulants, she was inexperienced in the ways of life. Both Imperial and Mechanicus.

While Flavion stood helplessly worrying about his underling, he heard heavy footsteps behind him. Flavion stood in place.

"Magos Flavion, have you forgotten the meeting set for 07:00?" Inquired a ratty voice behind him.

Flavion couldn't move. His limbs felt dead, words would not form. Oh no... why him of all people, WHY HIM. Flavion screamed internally. He felt his hand twitching at his side. After an unknown set of time that felt like an eternity. Flavion managed a weak gasp, "Please forgive me, my Princeps."

The Princeps folded his arms across his chest, and made a smirk behind Flavion's back. "Just under two minutes this time. I'm, impressed."

"Spare me your jests and jibes Ornis. I have a lot on my mind."

The Princeps, or Ornis, snickered.

"What do you want? Don't you have someone elses day to ruin?"

"Please my fair Flavi, no need to avoid the inevitable. I simply wish to see my mighty beast before deployment."

Flavion clenched his fist in frustration. "Why must it be you?"

"Why must you always use your voice? Are you not a Magos?"

Before Flavion could retort, a massive Skitarii warrior moved towards them.

-Magos! You are needed in the Imperial vessel The Iron Will!- The Skitarii bursted at him in binary.

-Please forgive me! I've been preoccupied with something bothersome.-

"I warned you about the meeting." said Ornis.

Flavion surrendered and marched off towards the docking bays of the Mechanicum vessel to be shipped to The Iron Will. When he arrived on the deck the captain turned to look at him. He was not happy. Flavion saw Jerrah standing in his place and smiled at him. There stood a Commissar at the head of the dais looking at the hololith which displayed the world they were to invade. A craftworld.

Flavion had studied the Eldar xenos before. They bore a disgustingly similar resemblance to humans. although they were taller and more lean than man. They also were all psychically potent. Flavion did not like the thought of meet xenos that used bone as armor.

"I hope you enjoyed making us wait for you Magos." The captain spoke not a little bit hostile. "We need your assistance with a certain matter."

Flavion slowly nodded and looked down at Jerrah. She was harassing a servitor as it was trying to maintain the logistic engines. Flavion looked back at the Commissar as he was manipulating the hololith display zooming in on a section of the craftworld that appeared to be a core, but it was glowing a deep red that looked like blood.

The Commissar turned and looked at him with, what Flavion could discern, disgust. Flavion felt his heart stop for a moment. What is wrong with these men? Do they not appreciate my presence? The Commissar made an audible grunt and slowly began speaking. "Tell me Magos, what is the status of the Skitarii? Can we rely on them? Or are they still feeding on their paste?"

"Well you see Commissar," Flavion stammered, "The Skitarii have already consumed their nutrients and are now stored within our munition facility ready to ship out and assist in the war effort."

The Commissar eyed Flavion suspiciously. "I was told of your 'conditions' Magos. Is it true that you suffer from Hysteria?"

Flavion went even paler than usual, if that is possible, and looked at the man standing on the dais. He slowly descended down and walked towards the trembling magos. His chest was almost pressed against Flavion's face. The Commissar looked down at Flavion with what could be interpreted as disgust or perhaps a deep anger, but why Flavion could not tell.

Omnissiah be kind to me on this day.


	4. Chapter 4

"I sense that war is coming." Mel'tan said with a grimace. "The runes are acting strangely"

The Farseer sat cross legged on the floor of a Banshee temple. The walls were formed of wraithbone, like all Eldar buildings. Intricate designs were carved into them by the Bonesingers of Mel'tan's craftworld. The floor was covered in soft cushioning that made the Farseer feel like he was floating on clouds.

"You are simply paranoid my friend; you are the youngest Farseer in many cycles." Said the Exarch accompanying Mel'tan. "Come speak with me about war once Khaine has touched you." The Exarch was wearing loose robes dyed in crimson. The trimming on the edges were a ghostly white that seemed to pulse and glow. Her clothing hung loosely on her slender body. Mel'tan could not help but gaze upon her exposed apple sized breasts, the Exarch seemed not to care that she was exposed, or that her guest was staring.

"Why is it that everyone ignores my warnings about the possible futures?" Mel'tan complained, looking away from the Exarch's bosom. "Am I not to be trusted because of my young age, and why is it that you, Elsandria, my closest friend and an Exarch at that, refuses to trust my judgement?"

"You are young, younger than I. You are no more than fourteen-hundred revolutions." She remarked.

"And you are no more than twenty-three-hundred. Rather young for an Exarch, don't you think?" Mel'tan Countered

"I showed much promise and I had easily overcome any challenges thrown my way." She said calmly.

"And I was the most skilled in predicting the many futures that lay before us!" He snapped, "No one was capable of beating me! I was skilled in the

arts of battle and the most knowledgeable of the rest of my peers! So don't you talk to me about being skilled!"

Elsandria stood up and grabbed Mel'tan by his robes pulling him close to her face. "Have you ever killed something?"

"Well no of-" The Exarch cut him off.

"Have you ever been up close and personal with a young man, begging for his life, to spare his woman and child?"

Mel'tan remained silent.

"No, you haven't, you don't know the sensation of killing a weak defenseless being. You don't know what it is like to have your life taken from you and forced down the path of war, you will never know what it is like to lose your loved ones, to lose the very life that you claim is a struggle. You can never compare to what I've been through and what I have done. So don't you dare speak to me about the harshness of life again you miserable wretch."

Mel'tan stood up and bowed his her in Elsandria's direction, turned on his heel, and quickly left the shrine. Mel'tan spit on the ground and hopped into his speeder.

"I hope she enjoyed seeing the back of me, for it is the last she'll see of me."

Elsandria never looked at him.

* * *

The Warhead struck forth with the fury of a god as it detonated against the outer layers of the Craftworld. Forninn watched the display with disappointment. He turned towards the the captain of The Spearhead and shot him a glare of irritation.

"What kind of missile was that? It pierced the world's hull but there was no explosion."

The captain smirked at the comment. "It was a modified warhead. It was containing Fifteen-thousand pounds worth of Anthrax."

"Anthrax? Why a disease?" asked Forninn.

"Do you know why a disease will strike a foreign species invading another's territory much harder than the indigenous one? It is because the foreign species has never encountered that bacteria or virus before. The body won't know how to fend off the foreign substance. The effects are devastating."

"Will this have a similar effect on the Eldar?"

The captain grinned. "No. The effect will strike them tenfold. This is a bacteria from a different planet. That is why we shoot up or troops full immunizations and antibodies."

Forninn turned away from the captain. He stood there watching the craftworld, and only one thought crossed his mind, Perfect.

* * *

Lucas began putting on his fatigues as Serah rolled over in her bed. Lucas sat in the edge of the bed as he struggled to put his boots on. Serah pulled the sheets closer to her bosom as she sat up.

"What's the rush big boy? Got some where to be?"

Lucas looked back at Serah then back at his shoes. "We're deploying soon. Why aren't you getting ready?"

Serah puffed out her cheeks. "I don't want to that's why."

"Do you want to talk to the Commissars instead? I'm sure they would enjoy that."

Serah's face darkened. "Why must you insist on me coming?"

"So you can do all the fighting."

Serah sat silent.

"What?"

Before Serah could answer an alarm sounded. "All guardsmen report to the docking bay." Announced a man on the ships vox-casters. "The attack on the xeno world commences in ten minutes! I repeat, the attack commences in ten minutes!" Lucas tightened his belt as he bolted out the door.

* * *

The xeno infection was devastating. Elsandria stood in her shrine, her armor burned a fiery red in the light of the fires. The Eldar had to burn the bacteria to remove it. Those crafty Imperials. She thought, to use a foreign disease.

She turned her gaze towards her students and raised her blade and called to them. "Let us drive these human dogs from our home and show them the wrath of the Eldar! Let us show them the fury of Kaela Mensha Khaine!"

Her students made an unnatural cry of blood thirst as the power of their god of war flooded through their veins.

The Avatar had awakened.


	5. Chapter 5

Grenn quickly slammed another power cell into his lasgun. The xenos had advanced on the Imperials northeast and northwest forward positions. The Imperial ships were still trying to deploy the heavier vehicles such as the Stormblades and Baneblades.

A scrawny Guardsman ran towards Grenn with a fearful look. "Sir! Sir! Important news from the Lord General!" he cried as he tripped from the shockwave of a nearby explosion.

"Well, out with it man! Where is the artillery?"

The Guardsman had a panicked expression. "The Artillery has been cut-off, sir."

"What in the warp are they doing about it?"

Before the Guardsman could respond, the boy's torso separated from his waist. The youngling fell to the ground screaming. Grenn looked up at the xeno witch as it descended upon him. Grenn thrusted his bayonet upwards and stabbed the witch in chest. He kicked it away after firing several shots into its torso.

"Sir! our perimeter has been breached! What do we do?" called some guardsman from the distance. The man was ripped apart from a volley of shuriken throwers of a squad of Eldar.

Grenn turned away from the battlefield and began to run, ignoring the shouts of the Commissar. Before Grenn made it to the corner of the trench, his chest exploded in a shower of gore. He toppled over and fell on his back. As he lay there leaking out his life fluids, he saw the Commissar who shot him. The man was standing there shouting for the Guardsmen to hold their positions as one of the witches impaled him through the neck. Grenn lay there watching the xeno walk towards him with her blade raised for the killing strike.

Flavion walked through the carnage with disgust and fear. hundreds of men and Eldar alike were laid about on the ground. Omnissiah please spare me from a fate like this. Flavion thought. Jerrah was walking behind him looking around at the slaughter with curiosity and shock.

"What is this my Magos?" she asked picking something up.

Flavion turned around and saw a purple, tangled mass resting in Jerrah's hands. The blood was dripping from her hands as she thrusted her hands forward so that he may have a better look at the long tendril-like mass.

"By the Omnissiah Jerrah! Put that down now." He cried.

"But what is it?" he asked.

"It-it is the intestines of the xenos."

Jerrah looked down at her hands and said, "Oh, yes my Magos." She then tilted her hands forward and let the organ slowly slip from her hands and plop onto the floor with a sickening "smack."

Flavion shuddered in disgust. How could this young girl be so unaffected by the horrors of war? He wondered. Flavion turned around and watched the Baneblades and Stormblades roll by, running over and crushing bodies as they went.

Flavion turned and looked at a cheerful guardsman walked towards him. She had short, layered hair that was a sandy blonde. Her green fatigues were worn and hung comfortably on her body. She had soft, innocent features that betrayed her occupation. Her large saucer-like eyes were a deep brown that bore through you and could make any man feel like jelly.

Flavion, despite his catharsis, could not help but stare at her crimson lips as she approach. "Good day Mr. Magos sir. My name is Serah. I'll be serving at your personal Imperial adjutant from here on till the end of the campaign Mr. Magos sir!" The girl named Serah said with too much enthusiasm.

Flavion panicked. "B-but I already have my young fleshling over there." He said as he pointed out Jerrah.

"It truly is a shame to be unaugmented isn't it miss Guardsman?" Jerrah shot in before Serah could respond.

"Well Mr. Magos Sir, an order is an order so you won't get rid of me that easily! I'll be like that rash on your rear that won't go away no matter how much you scratch it."

I don't think this one is all that bright. Flavion thought, but he caved in with what little pressure she gave him. "I am labeled as Flavion, Magos to the priesthood of Mars. Now please go deliver a message to princeps Onnin, tell him that his sight receptors are running rather slowly today."

Serah made a face of desperation, almost pain, and saluted him. "Yes Mr. Magos Flavion sir!" and she walked off, with a strut with too much emphasis on her hip movements.

Jerrah walked over and watched Serah go. She wore a look of deep thought. "Her name is almost the same as mine my Magos. Jerrah, Serah. Serah, Jerrah. Sejarrah!" she cried out. Flavion gave her a smack on the head.

"Silence yourself child."

Jerrah rubbed her head sorrowfully. I'm surrounded by dolts and fools. Flavion thought and walked off through the mesh of corpses.


	6. Chapter 6

Forninn sat in a chair that he had a crew member place in his room along with two chairs. Forninn ordered the food ahead of time so it would be ready before Franz arrived. Once everything was in place he sat down in one of the chairs and grabbed his empty glass. He poured himself some asmec and drank it all in one swig. Franz is rather late. He thought. I hope the lad isn't preoccupied with something else.

When Forninn finished the thought he looked up to see the door open and reveal Franz. He smiled and motioned him to sit. They sat and began their meal and exchanged some idle talk with each other. Once finished, they moved onto the more important topics.

"Well sir, earlier you mentioned you had dreams again." Franz stated. "About your last campaign that is."

Forninn sat back in his chair. "Yes I did. They were about the fight before I was sucked into the medicae facilities."

Franz nodded and listened to Forninn's story. Once finished Franz too leaned back in his chair.

"That sir, honestly sounds like something out of a holodrama."

"Thank you for the side commentary Franz, but I don't feel the same. There was no glory in that fight. I led my men to their bloody deaths. How could I find glory in that kind of situation?"

Franz scratched his cheek and then spoke. "How could you have known about that? You had no idea that you were going to lose so many men."

"But I should have led them away, not forwards into a slaughter. I should have died with my men, not be dragged off like some coward."

Franz reached forwards and grabbed Forninn by the collar and pulled his face towards his own. Forninn was shocked by the adjutant's bold move. If Forninn weren't so close with the man he would have him executed, or do it himself. Franz was staring into Forninn's eyes.

"Dying on the field with you men means nothing!" He declared. "You must live so that you can fight again and avenge your men!"

Franz then realized what he was doing and let go of Forninn, who straightened his greatcoat. Franz had a puzzled look on his face. His eyes darting back and forth.

"P-please forgive me sir, I-I had no-"

"I will forgive nothing," Forninn interjected. "you have not wronged me, and you are right. Dying with my men may get my name written down on a dataslate as a hero in the making but it wouldn't justify the deaths of my men."

Franz made a visible sign of relief and leaned forwards. "Have I told you about my girl back home?" He asked.

"No." Forninn said simply.

"Well. I have a sweetheart back home waiting for me. Here," He said, reaching into his uniform and pulled off a generic looking locket. He then handed it to Forninn. "there is a picture of her inside, like most lockets."

Forninn pushed open the small circle shaped locket and looked at the picture of Franz's lover.

"She's beautiful, but a frail one though." Forninn said, handing it back.

Franz smiled. "She is rather small. Shockingly enough though she was the daughter of a farmer."

"How did your father feel when he learned about you and..."

"Her name is Farla." Franz said, completing Forninn's sentence.

"Well, he did not like it one bit. He raged up a storm. It seemed that the warp was unleashed in our palace."

Forninn chuckled a little. "What about her father?"

"He didn't hate me, but he didn't think she should get involved with the 'aristocratic problem causers.'"

They both laughed and Franz continued his story of him and Farla. Forninn listened intently. She sounds like a sweet girl, kind of like my own... He thought. Once Franz finished his story Forninn leaned forwards and in a hushed voice said.

"You know what?"

"What?" Franz asked in a whisper.

"That sounded like one of the best stories I've ever heard of! Where did you find it, was it in the ship's library?"

They both laughed and Franz threw his napkin at Forninn's face, who then swatted it away.

"I'm serious!" Franz said. His face blood red.

"I know, I know. I'm just giving you a hard time lad."

Franz and Forninn both calmed down and they sat in silence for awhile. Several minutes passed and Forninn decided to break the silence.

"I want to thank you again for coming to my aid when the regulations don't call for it."

Franz smiled and nodded. "I just doing my job, sir."

Forninn smiled back. "Now get the frag out of my room, I need to sleep."

Franz smiled and left the room without another word.

Mel'tan walked through the webway as slowly as possible. I must calm myself, he thought, or else my mind will be over taken with anger. He knew he was right about the future. He read the runes, he felt Khaine's ever growing presence, but no one listened.

Mel'tan stopped walking and turned as he came to the position he wanted an he transitioned back to the material universe. He stood in the Courtyard of Time, surrounded by his fellow Farseers. They looked at him and gave curt nods to him.

"Now that we are assembled, let us speak." Said one Farseer. "The Imperials have unleashed their virus and it has dealt a massive blow to our forces. We must force the invaders off of our home and translate into the webway. We cannot win this battle."

Another voice rose to challenge the first. "Do you honestly think the Phoenix Lords will accept this proposition? They will silence you if hear you say such words!"

"Are we bound to their words, or are we bound to our gods?" Cried a third.

"We must stand and fight! Khaine is with us today and he will guide us with his bloody hand." shouted the second voice.

"Isha's tears! Are all of you not acting like fools?" Said Mel'tan. "We must call for help!"

"Be quiet young one, you know not the way of war!" said a fourth voice.

"At least I am not letting Khaine's presence blind me! I read the runes! If we act quickly we can and will receive help!"

"We have all read the runes child. The chance of help coming to us is passed. There is no chance to be saved by an outside party. We are alone in this fight, but the idea was a good one." said the first voice.

Mel'tan stiffened. "That is where you are wrong elder. I have already sent out the signal."

The others turned on him. "You dare act without speaking with the council? You ignorant dog!"

"Perhaps it is for the best, who shall come to our aid?" said the second voice.

"Bel'tan is coming."

The group was silent for many minutes. Then the first voice spoke.

"Bel'tan has never been friendly with any of the other craftworlds. Why would they come to us?"

"Our broken brothers will try to assimilate us no doubt. The notion of reforming our empire is a lost one, and they are blind to that fact." said the fourth.

"What of the rest of the prediction? Have you all forgotten what happens next?" asked the third.

The Farseers became silent. Then Mel'tan spoke up.

"The Astartes will come to the Imperial Guard's aid and the battle will turn, but in whose favor will be determined later. For now we must fight for our loved ones and the sake of our people."

As Mel'tan said these words he felt his heart throb in his chest. My loved one is in the frontlines, doing Khaine's bloody work. He thought. Please Isha, protect my beloved Elsandria. when he looked up he realized the others were staring at him. Mel'tan couldn't help but feel guilty, for what he didn't know.

The first Farseer reached over and clasped him hand on Mel'tan's forearm and held him grip tightly.

"Fear not young one." He said. "Exarch Elsandria is a brave warrior. She can take care of herself. Do not let your love take control of you."

"Yes my elder. Your words are very soothing." Mel'tan lied. "I feel better."

The first simply nodded, not attacking the lie. "Of course. Be strong young one."

Mel'tan smiled weakly and turned away from the council.


	7. Chapter 7

Elsandria rushed through the masses of the mechanical monsters. The massive beasts snarling and charging at her. Elsandria ducked underneath the swing of one and stabbed another. One of the beasts raised it's massive power axe and swung at her head. She quickly sidestepped and thrust her blade into it's skull. Blood, oils, and stimulant drugs pumped out of the thing's skull. Before the one she stabbed earlier could grab her, one of her Banshee's lept on it's towering frame and removed it's head. Elsandria and her Banshee's delivered death to the creatures. As she stood there among the corpses she looked back at the defensive lines.

There were humans that were fused with machine. They were walking abominations of wires and cables. Many had mechanical limbs that moved as smoothly as their normal ones, if they could be called normal. Elsandria snorted at the beings she believed were called "Tech-priests."

"Disgusting things are they not?" she asked to no one in particular.

One of her Banshee's walked to her side. "Indeed Exarch. What are these beasts?" she asked prodding one of the massive creatures they had killed with her blade. It had a huge frame of muscle that was enhanced by drugs and various stimulants. It's face was shrunken and withered. A powerful jaw with too many teeth that were meant to tear apart limbs and armor, hung open. It had talons that were longer than any normal mans fingers should have been. The beasts flesh was melted and fused with the ceramite sheeting it wore for armor. One arm was replaced with a complex gun that fired explosive bolt rounds that could pierce through the thickest of armors the Eldar had. elsandria looked back at her Banshee.

"I believe they are known as 'Skitarii.' They are super warriors created for the sole purpose of killing."

"Like the Super humans called Space Marines?"

"No, Space Marines are different. They are gods of war. They beyond any of our skills. Pray that you never have the honor of fighting one. Now let us stop this idle chatter."

Elsandria turned around again to the defences ahead of them. She did not wait for her Banshees and speed off towards the base.

"Private Lucas! What in the warp are you doing?" Shouted a nearby Sergeant. Lucas stood up from his chair and saluted him.

"Please forgive me sir! I fell asleep sir!" He shouted.

"Well what made you think that was okay Private?"

"No one sir! I got bored sir!"

"Bored you say! You got bored in the middle of a damn war and you're supposed to be operating the vox-links?"

"Yes sir, forgive me sir!"

The Sergeant slammed his foot into Lucas' stomach and sent him tumbling over his chair.

"You scumbag! I should have you punished for that! Do you think this is some fucking game Private?" Shouted the Sergeant.

Lucas painfully tried to stand. " No sir!"

"Then get on your damn feet and get to operating that vox uint!"

"Yes sir!"

The Sergeant turned on his heel and walked away. Lucas slowly got back into his seat as one of the other Guardsman laughed.

"Screw you Feinal." Lucas groaned.

"Well you shouldn't be the one dozing off like a grox on a warm summer day."

"Go die in a fire." Lucas shot at Feinal

Lucas put his headset back on and listened to the different channels. Most was just some idle chatter or objective updates like usual. Lucas began to daydream about Serah on his birthday three years ago. He dreamt how she crawled over to him and gave him a nice, long, wet kiss. Then she slowly moved her hand down his chest then down to his fatigues and slowly unbuttoned them and grabbed his...

Lucas snapped out of it when he heard an alarming message. He quickly adjusted himself and pulled off his headset. Feinal looked at him with a serious look for once.

"Did you get a message?"Feinal asked.

"I got something. It appears to be some call from the techno-rats. It's in binary so I can't understand it. Go get Sarge and a Priest up here would ya?"

Feinal quickly got up and ran out the door. He came back shortly with the Sergeant and a Techpriest. The Priest moved closer and began touching the air quickly and methodically. when he finished he said: "That should translate it for you."

Lucas turned up the volume and everyone listened.

+Hello! Someone please help us! We are under attack by the Eldar forces. I repeat we are under attack by the Eldar Forces!+

+This is outpost E Nomine Imperator. What is your status? Over.+

+The xenos have breached our defences! They are entering our central command!+

+What is your location? Over.+

+Location is thirty four-twenty six, ninety eight-nine nine, seventy six-eighty two. One hundred and twenty Kilometers to the northeast of your current position.+

+We're sending in a squad of shock troops. Over.+

-SIGNAL LOST-

-ATTEMPTING RECONNECTION-

+Are you there? Over.+

+Hello? This is outpost E Nomine Imperator please respond. Over.+

+Please respond over!+

-LINK REESTABLISHED-

+Your deaths will be swift and merciless.+

-SIGNAL LOST-

The room was as silent as a graveyard. Everyone was lost. Lucas looked up at the Sergeant with fearful eyes.

"W-what should we do sir?"

The Sergeant turned and walked towards the door.

"Pray the Emperor will help us."

* * *

The humans stood in silence. One of them looked at what is most likely the superior, and asked: "W-what should we do sir?"

The elder man walked towards the door then said: "Pray the Emperor will help us."

Pray indeed. The Scorpion thought. The silent death has come for you. The silent scorpion crawled along the metal braces above the Imperials, positioning himself over the strange mechanical one. The Scorpion readied his sword and leapt down onto his prey.

* * *

The blood and oils sprayed Lucas in face as the Eldar split the Techpriest in two. Lucas barely had enough time to grab him gun before the green armored xeno was upon him. Lucas brought up his gun to parry the attack. The Eldar moved so quickly that Lucas barely escaped from the blows the alien delivered. From behind Feinal thrust his bayonet into the Eldar's back and Lucas unloaded a power into the alien.

Lucas nodded to Feinal and loaded another cell into his gun. They both ran into the other room to find the Sergeant's head on the floor. A Commissar was dueling another Eldar warrior as another fell from the ceiling. Feinal quickly shot it in the head and rushed to assist the Commissar. Lucas ran back into the previous room and called in for help, but no one responded. Lucas then ran back into the other room to see the Commissar slam his chainsword into the Eldar's helmet and ripped it apart along with it's head.

Feinal was holding a melta-gun in his arms. He looked back at Lucas and said "Is anyone coming?"

"No, the link is dead."

The Commissar turned to them both. "Good work men. We need to go meet up with our good Captain."

Lucas and Feinal both said "Yes sir!" and they took off down the hall. Feinal took point and Lucas had rear. Four Eldar came rushing down the hall towards them. Feinal lifted his melta and unleashed a blast of super heated promethium. The Eldar warriors were obliterated. They continued down the hall and they heard the cracking of lasguns and deep booms of grenades. The trio ran into the mess hall to find tables upturned and being used as cover. the Commissar broke off leaving Lucas and Feinal to help with the defences.

Lucas patted Feinal on the back and ran to a nearby Guardsman.

"Where's the master of Ordinance?" he shouted.

"He's over there," the man pointed. "you best hurry, these bastards aren't letting up!" He then stood up and began to fire. As if to emphasize his point, his head was blown off. Lucas shoved the body out of the way as it fell towards him. He then ran towards the master of Ordinance.

The man thrust over the vox-comm as if he read his mind. Lucas grabbed it and began shouting into it.

+Hello is anyone out there! This is the defence line inside outpost E Nomine Imperator! Someone better get some help up here or we're all fragged!+

+This is Gerin, head pilot of the Back Breaker, we're on our way to help kill these pesky lil' bastards. Over.+

+You better have a armored company with you! 'Cause we're infested with xenos right now!+

+Who needs an armored company! Just sit tight and watch the show.+

There was static and the link was cut. Lucas swore and gave the vox-comm back. He then raised slightly to take a look. Eldar in blue colored armor were firing at them. they had huge mohawks on their helmets with white and red stripes in them. They had large rifles with flattened tops and they shot round discs that glowed a bright blue. Lucas couldn't even count the number of Eldar in the area.

Just when he was losing hope he heard a deep rumbling. Lucas thought it was several Leman Russ tanks, but he was surprised when he saw the massive form of a Storm Blade. It's massive barrel tuned towards the mass of Eldar inside the base. Lucas quickly ran behind a pillar and said a silent prayer to the Emperor.

"EAT SHIT AND DIE YOU LITTLE BUGGERS!" Shouted what was most likely the pilot through the vox-casters on the tank. The the barrel ignited in smoke as it machine shot it's massive gun. The explosion was enormous. The blast nearly destroyed the entire northern section of the base, including the mess hall. The shockwave sent Lucas flying back and he slammed into the wall feeling one or two of his bones cracking under the pressure. Bodies were flying everywhere. An unfortunate Eldar flew past Lucas and exploded against the wall, sending chunks of flesh and limbs scattering everywhere. Debris flew all around and destroyed even more of the base.

After what seemed to be hours the smoke began to thin out. Lucas sat up painfully and saw the tank firing it's dual mounted heavy-bolters into the remaining few Eldar as well as it's lascannons, which were tearing through the the Eldar masses with terrifying ease. The Guardsmen around him that were unharmed shouted: "FOR THE EMPEROR!" at the top of their lungs and charged out of the remnants of the mess hall, firing as they ran into the Eldar forces. Feinal limped over to Lucas and fell on his hands. He looked up and grinned at him. Lucas smiled at him and faded out.


	8. Chapter 8: Mel'tan's tantrum

The wrath of the Imperials was a frightening sight to Elsandria. She had never seen such anger and righteous fury.

"Retreat! Fall back to the webgate!" She shouted to everyone that could hear. She then turned on her heel and sprinted off into the forest beyond the Imperial lines. The horde of Guardsmen ran after the Eldar firing their guns. Some Dire Avengers were still firing their shuriken catapults at the Guardsmen only to cut down a moment later.

The Behemoth of a tank turned it's mighty barrel at the retreating Eldar and fired. The massive round detonating on the ground, killing hundreds of Eldar. The blast sent her flying through the trees and crashing into branches until Elsandria slammed into one, and lost her grip on her mind.

Hours later Elsandria awoke to an unbearable pain in her back. She began to scream when she tried to move. He back was broken, her spin shattered from the impact, and was jutting out of her flesh and armor. She heard footsteps moving towards her and saw two Guardsmen standing above her. Their guns leveled at her. Another man came over and stood there, a wicked looking smile on his face.

"Well well, looky here boys! We have a survivor. Take her to the medicae. have them fix her up. You boys deserve a reward for such a valiant fight."

Both men saluted him and thanked the man. Then they holstered their guns and picked Elsandria up. The pain went flaring up her back when they touched her.

"Silence wench." one of them said.

"You'll be better soon enough."

Better or worse. She thought.

Mel'tan sensed something dark coming. Of all of his future readings he was only certain of one thing. His death. It was the only outcome he could not change. No matter what he could do, he could not change that. Only prevent it from happening sooner or later.

Mel'tan shook his head and began to weep.

"Where did I go wrong?" he asked himself.

"What event did I overlook? What could I have, and should have changed? What was it? WHAT WAS IT!" He cried. With his sudden emotion, a burst of energy erupted from his mind. The walls around him began to crack and shatter. The crystal viewports in his shrine room shattered. The wraithbone of his armor began to crack and bend. The shape changing and spiking in response to his despair. Objects began to revolve around him slowly.

Why must I suffer. He thought. I have done nothing wrong but try to help my people.

As his sorrow turned to anger, the spinning objects began to move faster, and eventually into a blur. Mel'tan's thoughts drifted towards Elsandria. Why. Why must lose her. Why must the person I care for most in my life be lost to me? "WHY! WHY MUST I LOSE MY BELOVED!"

The objects shot out wards with such violent force that they would shatter and break through the walls. Webs of lightning and raw energy ebbed across the room. Mel'tan, at the epicenter, Continued to cry out into air.

Suddenly. Everything seemed to halt in its place. Not even Mel'tan could move. As he sat there frozen, he saw his elder Farseer stroll in front of him. His face grim and full of sorrow.

"What is wrong my child? Why is it you let loose your emotions so?"

"I have seen my undoing elder. There is nothing I can do to stop it, only prolong it."

The elder shook his head. " You are still so young. We are an emotional people. Our empathy is strong too. At such a young age you still cannot accept what lies beyond. You must learn to accept your fate. I too have seen my near death as well."

Mel'tan gave him a worried look. "My elder! Can you not stop it?"

"I can, but, I would rather not. To do so would be selfish."

"There is nothing wrong with wanting to live. It is at the base of our, of any for that matter, species to survive."

"Indeed young one, but if I am to prevent my death, it would mean another's death. Elsandria's to be precise."

Mel'tan's eyes widened. "What do you mean? What will happen?"

The elder stiffened, then sighed.

"You see, there is something. A void in the immaterium. I cannot see it, for it has no presence there, an unnatural thing. It is coming here. At some point it will find us. Elsandria will fight it and fail. Unless, I intervene, by unleashing all of my psychic capabilities into it. It will only make it stronger, but it will distract it with myself. Elsandria will flee and I will die."

Mel'tan was unsure on how to respond. He was afraid of his thoughts as part of him was glad that the elder would die instead of Elsandria.

"You do not have to do this. You are key to this craftworlds survival!"

"Would you rather her die than me?" The elder asked

Mel'tan remained silent.

"Understand that wanting the best of everything for your loved ones is perfectly reasonable. You must learn to reason with time. The answers will come when you are of proper age."

"But my elder, you said we are emotional beings." Mel'tan complained.

"Yes I did, but it is no excuse to throw a tantrum.." He countered

"Then why are you so unaffected by them?"

"Time and age, experience and will mature with time, you must be patient. I will let you go now."

The elder then let Mel'tan go and fall to the floor, and everything with him. Mel'tan looked around the room then back at the elder.

"Who is going to clean up this mess?"

"Why you of course! You made the mess."


	9. Chapter 9

Lucas awoke to bright lights burning into his eyes. He sat up and looked around at his surroundings. He was sitting on a cold medical bed. The room was filled with strange medical devices and many surgical tools and a bed. Good thing I'm not laying on that thing. Lucas thought with a grimace.

Lucas turned at the sound of a crackle coming from the speakers on the wall.

"Good morning fleshling." said the voice over the speaker. "You are safe now. Your body was recovered before we could turn you into nutrients for our Skitarii."

Lucas shuddered and looked at the speaker closest to him.

"Umm, excuse me, but, what happened when I passed out? Did we fight off those xenos?"

There was static before the voice responded.

"Yes. Yes we did. Now be quiet fleshling. I am sending in my Menial. She will help take care of your wounds."

"W-why yes of course." Lucas stammered. "Thank you."

"...Of course, fleshling."

Lucas heard the speakers turn off as a young girl, no older than eighteen, walked in. She had white hair that was layered and very flamboyant. Her eyes were a deep green and they were large as small tea plates. She had small lips. Her skin was as pale as a ghost. Her bosom was small, no more than A's. Her frail form was cloaked in a crimson robe and had no visible augmentations.

She's really cute. Lucas thought. Can she really be a member of the Mechanicus?

The girl walked over to Lucas so quietly that one would think she was floating.

"Hi." She said in a soft, gentle voice.

Lucas looked at her strangely. "Hey. What's your name?"

The girl looked like she was having conflicting thoughts.

"My name is Menial Jerrah. I am under current supervision of Magos-Errant Flavion of the Adeptus Mechanicus."

Lucas stared at her with an empty gaze. "That's nice."

"Really?" The girl cried out eagerly.

"No."

"Oh. Please forgive me for not being a pleasant presence." Jerrah said, frowning deeply.

Lucas wished he had his laspistol on him. There was a long silence before Jerrah spoke up.

"Now then. Your wounds are mostly healed. You suffered from fourteen compound fractures, all minor. Your left pedal system was broken..."

"My what?" Lucas asked.

"Your foot." the girl responded.

"Oh. Please proceed."

The girl nodded.

"Your bones were reconstructed using a modified version of polypropylene. The bones will completely take their natural form in a few weeks, but the modifications should keep you together."

"R-right." Lucas stammered.

"Your wounds were resealed using a unique chemical compound that accelerates cell growth. It also doubles the amount of punishment your flesh can endure."

"Okay then." Lucas said. "I think I understand."

"Really? So you can understand some of the biological effects of the essential bodily chemicals being injected into the body on a microscopic level and the effects of the modified amino acids and the osmosis and diffusion of the synthetic tissue samples?"

Lucas stared at her accusingly. "Was that even Gothic?"

"But of course!" Jerrah cried. She then paused. "You didn't understand anything did you?"

"Not a thing." He admitted.

Jerrah glared at him. "Nevermind. Pull off your coverings and open your legs." She Commanded.

Lucas slowly complied and dropped his drawers. Jerrah looked down and stared at his cousin. Lucas's face flushed with embarrassment. Jerrah then pointed down at his thing.

"That is the male reproductive organ which is inserted into female humans and your seminal glands release the sperm and ease the passage of the sperm cells out of the Vas deferens and the sperm impregnates the female. The organ is known as the penis."

Why Jerrah put emphasis on the word penis he could not guess. He simply sighed and sat on the medical bed again. I hope she doesn't try to get skin samples... He thought as she pulled out a scalpel.


	10. Chapter 10

Commissar Forninn stood at attention as the massive form of a thunderhawk landed on the deck plates of the Iron Will. The hull of the mighty machine was pure silver. The sound of wailing hydraulics filled Forninn's ears as the doors of the thunderhawk opened and slammed down into the deck plates. The floor shook as the massive form of a demigod came down the ramp.

"Behold the angels of death! Behold our saviors, The Silver Skulls!"

Forninn's private quarters were cold and dark. They smelled of him already and the campaign was only a little more than a day old. Though he saw no action, Forninn was stressed. The loads of paperwork and hundreds of file-officers was staggering. Forninn rubbed his face in his dirty sink and looked up at the mirror.

He had stubble growing along his jawline. A massive scar that he received from an Ork covered the left side of his face, from scalp to chin. His face was beginning to sag as age began to take his body. his eyes which were once a deep hazel, are now an ever fading hue of brown. His short, slicked back hair was producing white strands amongst the brown mass of it. His nose was a fine roman one. Forninn sniffed and sat down in a chair.

I'm getting old. He thought. Too old for this lifestyle at least. Forninn grabbed a glass and poured himself some aged asmec. He drunk deeply and turned his chair to face his desk. I need to spend more time in the training cages. He thought. Before I get saggy. Forninn looked down at his body and examined himself. For his age, he was in as best shape as you can get. His well toned muscles were slick with sweat. The hair on his chest were flattened from wearing his uniform all day. I'll be fine, no need to worry myself. Forninn grunted at the thought and emptied his glass, only to pour another.

"Sometimes I wonder about my life." He said aloud. Forninn frowned. His suave yet stoney voice was foreign to him. Never in my life have I ever doubted you my Emperor. He thought. Yet I find my motivation failing me. Every man I've ever fought beside almost always dies by my side, yet I make it out with just a scratch. Forninn reached over and opened one of the drawers in his desk on pulled out a pict.

"Oh how I've missed you my love." He said to the pict. It was of a young woman was long blonde hair bound in a ponytail. Her eyes were innocent and kind. Her smile was sweet and loving. she wore a white dress that made her look angelic. Forninn smiled at his lost wife. He felt a tear roll down his face. He quickly wiped it away. How weak I've gotten. Forninn returned the pict and put down the glass.

Forninn stood and walked over to his bed and crawled in it. He began to laugh to himself. It is quite humorous how quickly my mood changes. He thought. I should slow things down abit. Forninn chuckled to himself and rolled over and let sleep take him.

The Command bridge was pact as the Imperial Officers crammed together to make room for the massive bulk of the Astartes. One sat at the head of the hololithic. The wires pouring out of the device snaked across the room and the walls. With no elbow room to speak of, and the wires and tubes everywhere, Forninn struggled to stand still. The Astartes at the head was most likely the captain Forninn assumed. The giant's armor was elaborate and covered with purity seals and scripture. His Mk 8 armor was shining in radiant silver. Hundreds of trinkets and trophies hung from his mighty frame.

"Is the situation truly that desperate?" said the Captain in his deep gravelly voice.

"Yes my lord, the Eldar refuse to lose ground and are ever present behind our lines. We cannot afford to lose this battle." said the present Lord General.

"I understand mortal. My battle brothers have prepared for drop. We will strike them in their own defences." said the Captain.

"Thank you my lord. We have also received rumors that more Eldar are coming to aid this world. We believe they are coming in a massive armada."

"This is of no concern to us." Said the Captain. "The Xenos are weak to be sure. Their weapons hardly strike at us with the same lethality as ours."

"Of course my lord, but wouldn't the increase in numbers be a problem?"

"No they won't be. Now stop this pointless questioning. We are done here." With that the Captain stood and marched out of the room. Forninn watched the Astartes leave and turned towards the Lord General.

"What did I miss sir?" Forninn asked, as he was a few minutes late to the meeting.

The Lord General grunted then said, "The Fifth Company Captain Garus has dismissed much of the information we have given him. That, and he refuses to accept us as present in the battle. He believes we are in the way."

"The Astartes have never viewed the people they are try to protect as favorable. We've always 'been in the way'" Forninn said with a sigh.

"Indeed, but you won't like what they have requested."

"Why is that sir?" Forninn asked with a deep sense of foreboding.

"They have requested our most senior Commissar the liaison with them."

Forninn grimaced and left the room. I'm really too old for this.


	11. Chapter 11

The pain was overwhelming. Elsandria wished for nothing more than an end to her suffering. The Imperials tested chemicals on her body to see what kind of new experimental mental weapons could be used against her kind.

The room was incredibly bright. Hundreds of medical tools lay about the room ready for use. several machine men worked symbiotically. The one in the red robes seemed to be controlling them. His body was demented beyond what most humans were. His upper body was hunched over as four machine arms protruded from his back. Each had its own tool at the end. One was covered in different blades and saws. Another had a needle at the end with numerous tubes and canisters containing different chemicals. The third was a mechanical hand of sorts, it had eight digits. The last was a pincer of types.

"Prepare the cylinders for decanting." The robed being said. One of the human-machine things complied and began to press numerous buttons and turn dials until a large glass tube lit up with an eerie green glow. Elsandria wanted to kill the machine man. The being turned on her and finally addressed her.

"Good day xeno. I am Magos-Biologi Yurris. I shall be your doctor from now on. I'm sure you already knew that though."

Elsandria tried to move but she couldn't without her limbs. She looked down at her nub limbs. The man in red severed them and placed them inside a different container. The being turned towards her after fiddling with some strange needle.

"I shall inject you with a dose of polymorphine. It will alway you body to change shapes and reform. Of course to change forms you'll need the other chemicals but you shall not receive them."

The needle hovered above her right leg and descended into her flesh. Elsandria cringed as the chemical moved around her body and through her system. Elsandria began to cry out in pain. She felt her bones cracking and beginning to reform. Her bones began to stretch and re form the missing ones. Her muscle began to grow and form around her limbs and her skin began to stretch, covering the muscle.

"How does it feel? To regrow your limbs like a lizard?" asked Yurris. Elsandria wanted to spit in his face. The red thing then began to inject another chemical into her system. Elsandria felt pain surge through her system. Her limbs finished their reconstruction and halted their growth. Now is the time to act. She thought. Before the thing called Yurris could do anything, Elsandria leapt off of the table with some effort and kicked the being in the face. Yurris cried out in shock more than pain.

"Stop her! Don't let her escape!" He cried out. The sub-humans reacted almost instantly. The closest one ran towards Elsandria and grabbed her arm. She quickly jumped up and grappled the servitor with her thighs and gave a sharp twist with her legs. She let the head go as it fell to the floor. The body began to shake and fall forwards crushing Elsandria under it's weight. She grunted when she hit the floor.

The two remaining servitors reached down and pulled the body off of her and then grabbed her arms. When they hefted her up on her feet and stood at the ready. The red man approached with his bladed robotic arm slowly extending towards Elsandria's neck.

"You are a difficult one." Yurris said, pulling his robotic arm back. "I think I should kill now before you cause any problems." His bladed arm then shot out towards her. Elsandria quickly jerked her body to the left pulling the servitor with her. The saw blade cut through the sub-human's arm before it could retract. Elsandria then grabbed the fallen arm and smacked Yurris in the face with it. Several of his bionic implants sparked and shattered under the blow.

Elsandria then knocked over the last servitor and promptly crushed it's skull his the arm.

"You witch!" cried out the red man as his bladed arm shot towards her again. Elsandria dodged the strike and swung again. before the swing could connect, the mechanical arm with the large pincers grabbed the servitor arm and ripped it away from Elsandria. Yurris's needle arm then shot forwards. Elsandria the ducked and pivoted away from the blade arm again. They continued their dance of dodging and striking. Elsandria began to tire, but her opponent showed no signs of fatigue. Elsandria made a clumsy step and Yurris saw his opportunity and struck her with his pincer arm. The force was immense. Elsandria flew into the medical bed, knocking it over. She laid there dazed from the blow. Yurris slowly moved towards her with his arms ready.

"You are quite a pest xeno." He said, although his voice was always calm and monotone, Elsandria could tell he was very angry. Yurris crouched next to Elsandria and got his blade arm into position. Elsandria leapt up at him as he swung down. She managed to knock Yurris down on the ground, but his blade connected and sliced her stomach. Elsandria cried out in pain as she felt her skin rip open. She held her stomach, and buckled over. The pain was intense, but it was nothing compared to the earlier suffering. She slowly grabbed a surgical knife from one of the nearby tables. Luckily for her, Yurris was unconscious on the floor. Elsandria crawled over on her knees and raised the blade above the helpless man-thing. She then brought it down as hard as she could. The blade slammed into Yurris's face and through his brain.

Elsandria then fell to the floor panting. She laid there trying to rest and catch her breath. Thank you Isha, for sparing me.

Elsandria awoke after half an hour's worth of rest. She then struggled to stand and move towards the door. She opened the door slowly and peered out into the hallway. She made sure no one was near and began to move towards the other end of the hall. Elsandria began to stop moving when she heard voices nearby.

"Are you sure he's alright?" asked Lucas. The Bologi had been in the operation room for over an hour.

"I'm sure he's fine," said the Guardsman standing by the door. "he can take awhile sometimes."

Lucas looked doubtful but turned around and waited. He then heard a noise coming from behind. Lucas turned to see the Guardsman slump forwards and hit the ground. A large medical knife in his back. Lucas looked up and saw the naked body of a woman standing before him.

Lucas raised his gun, but not quick enough. The woman tackled him to the ground. She aimed the laspistol of the fallen Guardsman at his head. Lucas sat there trembling on the ground. So fast, He thought, she must be a xeno. Lucas began to examine the woman above him. Other than her unnatural orange hair and arrow shaped ears, she looked almost like a human.

"Take me to my equipment Imperial." The xenos voice was stern, yet it seemed like her voice was almost ghost-like. Lucas sat there trying to form up a plan.

"Show me to my equipment human." The xeno demanded.

"A-alright, follow me. That is, if would get off."

The woman stood and kept her hand steady. Lucas got off of the ground and slow marched towards the armory.

"There's no one here besides us. So you don't have to worry about being led into a trap."

They progressed slowly until she reached the blast doors. She looked at Lucas with an evil glare.

"Open the door. NOW." The xeno demanded. Lucas walked over towards the doors keypad and began entering the code. By the Emperor, she's more demanding than Serah. The doors slowly parted and the whine of hydraulics filled their ears. The Xeno woman grabbed Lucas and marched him in.

"Shut the door."

"Yes milady." Lucas muttered.

"Are you mocking me?" she threatened.

"No no no! Of course not."

Lucas finally closed the door. When he turned around, the xeno was holding some rope she found on the ground and then tied his hands together. Lucas just fell onto his rump and sat there helpless. The xeno went over to a large lockbox and shot the locks. She then threw the gun away and opened the box. She began to pull on the armor within. Lucas watched as she put the bone armor on herself. That looks a little too big for her. He thought. Before he could think the armor began to shrink and form to her body.

"Why are you here?" The woman asked. The question took Lucas off guard.

"You told me to take you here."

"Thats not what I meant fool."

Lucas sighed and looked at her with an irritated look. "Your craftworld came too close to Terra, far too close. The High lords saw this as a potential threat to our security. So, The honorable Lord Militant General ordered that this world should be found, once it left, and we must question your leaders and then purge."

"That was an accident mon'keih." The xeno said, putting her screaming helmet on. "Our world was consumed by the warp. We fought for thousands of years. If we had not been spit back out we would have surely perished. We arrived in the Sol system by accident. We then tried to flee as quickly as we could. We had no intention of staying or even coming to your system mon'keih."

Lucas sat there watching her. Is she telling me the truth? He thought. For all I know she could be lying.

"How do I know I can trust you?" Lucas dared to ask.

"What do I have to do to prove it Imperial?"

"Take me to your leaders, maybe then I will believe you."

Lucas sat in an awkward silence looking at the xenos hidden face. The face mask was intimidating. What looked like a vox-caster was embedded in the mouth section. The mouthpiece itself was stretch to mimic a screaming mouth. The lens' on the helmet were small and shaped like tiny arrow heads. the helmet was long and angled backwards. The xenos hair was coming out the back of the helmet and was moving as if it were alive. There was a crown that rested upon her brow, on the helmet that is, and it curved upwards like an arrow point to something in the sky. The helmet blacker than coal and the lens' were a blood red. The xenos armor was a deep crimson. The armor formed strange pads on her body resembling muscles. The armor fit her perfectly. There was a long loincloth that hung from her waist covering her codpiece and most of the leg armor. It was a iridescent black that reflected not light. It was cover in strange alien runes that shimmered an ethereal blue. Black shot through her armor in intricate trimmings and several large red gems pocketed her armor. One particularly large one was centered on her forehead at the base of her crown.

Lucas looked up at her face again. The witch still did not respond to him. Lucas sighed and looked at the floor.

"If you're going to kill me do it now." He said. "I'll die either way."

The witch cocked her head to the side, finally showing that she was listening. "Why is that mon'keih?"

"The Imperium does not tolerate the interaction with xenos unless it is completely necessary."

"Well in your case, it is completely necessary." The xeno said. "Your life is on the line no?"

"I'm not important to the Guard, I only receive orders and carry them out. I'm just a number on the grander scheme of things."

The xeno lowered her gun and squatted down in front of him. She then took off her helmet and faced looked him in the eyes. Lucas sat there confused.

"My name is Elsandria mon'keih. Exarch of my shrine, I command the Howling Banshees in battle."

"Uh, hi."

The xeno made a face of contempt. "You are going to get me out of here."

"How do you plan on doing that? I'm surprised that no one has discovered you mess yet."

"Are there any explosives in here?"

Lucas turned pale. "Why?"

"You're going to become my little bomb."

Lucas curled up in a ball and fell on his side. Elsandria sighed and kicked him repeatedly.

"Get up." She demanded.

Why me? Lucas thought.

Elsandria marched through the vast expanding Eldar city. The buildings were crumbling and burnt. hundreds of dead Guardians lay strewn about on the ground. There was the fair share of Imperials as well. It's almost like the events in the warp. She thought. That was worse though.

"Hey um, xeno lady, where are we going?" asked the Guardsmen she had been using as a shield. He was still cover in what he called "melta-charges." Elsandria gave him a small nudge with her blade.

"Shut up."

The mon'keih remained silent for a while longer until he saw the sky.

"Oh dear Emperor please forgive me."

Elsandria quickly looked up at the sky and she felt her skin run cold. The sky was burning. Massive balls of fire rained downwards towards the craftworlds surface. There were hundreds of them. Loving Isha please protect us, please, don't let this world fall. She pleaded. The burning masses were descending quicker than before. several were coming in Elsandria's direction. They were coming. The Astartes, the Space Marines.

"We need to move now." She shouted out. Lucas did not protest. They both ran for their lives. Down the street she saw several Dire Avengers she didn't see before trying to escort a group of Eldar civilians. They panicked and ran, the Avengers tried to hurry them onwards. One of the fiery masses, a large drop pod, slammed into the ground were the civilians ran. The impact shattered the ground and crushed a score of Eldar. The ramps on the pod opened like the pedals on a flower and crushed several more. Then the gods of war began to exit the pod. Their guns firing massive bolt round into the Eldar, exploding on impact, causing the Eldars' bodies to break apart or rupture from the blasts.

"KILL THE XENO FILTH IN THE NAME OF THE EMPEROR!" Shouted one of the Astartes, most likely the Sergeant, who had a banner implanted into his backpack. "The Silver Skulls" it read. "Ave Imperator."

"RUN!" Elsandria shouted and turned to flee only to be knocked off her feet by a nearby Impact of another drop pod. She crashed through one of the buildings. Elsandria was dazed from the force. She saw through hazed eyes the form of a being whose armor was gleaming in the light. His armor was cover in trophies and scripts dangled from his plates. His face was a shining skull. He held a massive hammer that no living being could wheld. He swung the hammer into a Eldar who tried to resist him. Elsandria wanted to tell him to run but she couldn't form the words. The hammer slammed into the ground in front of the Eldar. The force sent his body flying back like a ragdoll. The Eldar's body ruptured from the impact, his chest exploding outwards in a wave of blood. The Astartes swung again, hitting another Eldar in the head which was removed from his body, which in turn flipped backwards onto it's chest.

"These aliens are weak, none can stand against the Emperors might." Sadi the Astartes to no one in general. He then grabbed a Eldar civilian by the head and crushed it's skull in his hands with no effort applied. He then tossed the body into another Eldar, breaking it's ribcage inwards.

Elsandria slowly stood and readied herself. We are not weak. She thought. He shall die for such actions. She then leapt towards the Astartes thrusting her blade towards his abdomen. Before the blade could connect, the Astartes twisted out of the way and jumped back. Elsandria pivoted and launched herself forwards. The Astartes then slammed the pommel of his hammer into her stomach. Elsandria felt several ribs shatter like glass and one of her organs rupture. Elsandria soared through the air and crashed into an Eldar building.

"Filthy witch, your kind is weak. None can stand against the might of the Emperor!" Shouted the skull faced giant. He slowly approached Elsandria and grabbed her by the neck. Elsandria struggled uselessly in the giant's titanic grip. He then threw Elsandria in the air and slammed his fist into her face when she descended. The blow shattered her bone helmet and broke her jaw. The force sent her flying yet again into another building, corkscrewing in the air as she went.

"You are but a mere stain in the Imperium's existence wench." Said the Silver Skulled being. "Know that I, Garus, Captain of the Silver Skulls, am your executioner."

Before the being could lift his hammer, a massive explosion erupted from behind him. The massive blast knocked the being to the ground. As he fell to his knee, Elsandria saw the form of a man running across the the street. The Silver Skull stood up, the flames behind him gave him a sinister look. He turned on his heel, hefting his hammer, and marched into the inferno.

Elsandria let her head fall to the ground. Her helmet cracked and sunken inwards, a chunk of her helmet that covered her eye was missing. She looked through her split vision, half was flickering with runes and a blinking screen, the other she felt the heat of the destruction outside burning her eye. Elsandria closed her eyes and wanted nothing more than to just lay there and sleep. The stress and pain of the previous days weakened her. To think, it has only been four days. She thought, with her hope failing her. She then heard the sound of footsteps approaching her. Her eyes shot open and she saw the mon'keih she used as a shield.

"Quickly!" he hissed. He ran over to her and began to pull her up. Elsandria slowly stood and limped off with the help of her "prisoner."


	12. Chapter 12

"All engines are finally ready my princeps." said the Moderati. Ornis sat in his throne and nodded.

"Begin the fusing process." Ornis commanded. Silly little Flavion. He thought. Oh how he will despair over my assignment. After all, it was only logical.

"Engaging merging processes." Said the Moderati.

Ornis felt hundreds of cables lodging into the bonding sockets and many other outlets in his flesh. Each connection shot electrical charges through his body. Once the cables and tubes were in place, small wires began snaking across his body and each began to pierce into his flesh, crawling inside his body linking with his nerves. Several entered his neck stabbing into his spinal cord. Four then began to seep into his eyes and fuse with his optic nerves. Ornis shook and shuddered as pain swept through his body. He then felt his limbs become cold and metallic. His body felt heavy and old. His vision switched from the inside of the chamber to the outside of the craftworld.

"Merging complete, we are one." Ornis said. His mind was filled with an ancient voice, telling him to move.

"The Philomeleides is operational. We march to war."

The ground shook as if there was an earthquake. Serah looked over her shoulder. There was a massive machine that began to enter her sight. It was massive. It was well over sixty meters. huge banners hung from it's hull. Two gigantic guns were of it's arms. Serah realized what it was. It was a Titan, the god machines. The massive beast unleashed a blast from it's right cannon. A beam of energy shot miles ahead of her into the main defenses of the Eldar forces, creating a massive explosion, disintegrating everything. The second arm repeated this action, annihilating the xeno forces. Two massive cannons mount on the shoulders created a deep echoing boom as they fired in 4 second intervals. titanic thunderclaps struck the ground creating huge craters filled with blood and gore.

"The mighty Philomeleides." Said the Magos beside Serah.

"It has fought and survived for two millennia. It has never been defeated before in combat."

Serah looked at the mighty war machine in awe and pride. The thought of such a powerful machine never being felled by the hands of the Imperium's enemies made her chest grow warm.

"What type is it? The Titan that is." asked Serah.

"It is one of the lost Mars Pattern Variants. Very few of those remain. The Philomeleides mighty bulk is due to years of construction and improvement. Most Warlords are around seventy meters, the Philomeleides stands over eighty meters in height."

Eighty meters! Serah thought. Now that is huge! It's almost like Lucas' co- Before Serah could finish her thought several large energy beams shot past her. She quickly hopped down onto the ground and rolled into the trench that was dug nearby. Serah then grabbed Flavion and pulled him down into the trench.

"What's with this purple stuff their shooting at us?" Serah asked, as she has never fought the Eldar before this encounter.

"Bright Lances. They can pierce through the heaviest of armor."

Serah looked up and saw these tall thin walking machines approaching her position. Some were firing the bright lances towards the Imperial defensive line.

"Oi oi, what are those thingies?" asked Serah, pointing at the walkers.

"Those dear girl, are Wraithlords. They are living wraithbone, that central head compartment houses the lost soul of a fallen Eldar. That xeno on the ground in the robes over there." Flavion pointed at an Eldar in crimson robes wielding a spear of intricate design.

"Yes that one next to the wraith thingies."

"That is an Eldar Warlock. They lead troops of Guardians and they assist in guiding the Wraithlords and Wraithguards. They are powerful psychics capable of terrible power, you see..."

Before Flavion was knocked backwards on the ground. He groaned as he pushed himself up and looked for his "protector." Serah was lying on the ground next to him. She looked up and pulled him down on the ground.

"Stay down you wretch. They're coming for us." She whispered. As if on cue, several Wraithguard stepped down into the trenches. They were larger than the Eldar, even when fully armored. They had similar shaped heads to the Wraithlords only smaller. The head was shaped like a teardrop. It was blacker than coal. The torso was thick and heavily armored. The Crimson and black trimmings warped together to form strange workings and designs. The limbs were long and thin, they were slightly bulging at the hands and feet. There was a loincloth similar to the ones worn by the other strange xeno troops. A strange gun was in their hands, it was short, compared to their size that is, and there were many bulbs and gems on the sides. The barrel of the gun was shaped like a rose that hasn't bloomed yet.

When these xeno machines stepped into the trenches they were immediately under fire, but they did not hide or try to avoid the enemy barrage. They slowly raised their guns and fired into the Imperial Guard ranks. Large, purple beams shot out of the guns. The impact created large explosions ranging in a mixture of red to purple. The blasts sent troops flying in all directions. Most were vaporized in the blast, those who weren't lost limbs and chunks of their bodies.

The guardsmen could do nothing to them. One brave soldier ran up towards the Wraithguards with a meltagun. He unleashed a blast of molten waves at the xeno machines. One of the Wraithguard was blown apart and began to burn and melt. The Warlock in the group leapt towards the guardsman thrusting a humming blade into his chest. The guardsman died screaming in agony. Serah then twisted her body over and fired a shot into the xenos head, killing him. The Wraithguard were affected almost immediately. With their guide lost, they began to slow down and wander around, clearly frightened and could not find their way. The Wraithguard began to fire wildly everywhere. Serah then grabbed Flavion and screamed, "RUN!"

They ran as fast as they could. The blasts detonating from every direction, sending dirt raining down on top of them. Two Guardsmen lobbed several krak grenades into the Wraithguard group. The detonations ripped them apart. Serah kept running regardless of their demise as Eldar in green armor welding chainswords of their own and strange pincers descended upon the Imperials. The Green armored Eldar were a blur, spinning and killing, moving from here to there. The Guardsmen were out matched in terms of melee combat.

As Serah and Flavion ran through the trenches, Serah thrust a laspistol into Flavion's hands.

"Can you use it?" She asked in between breaths.

"Yes I do but, why?" He asked fumbling with the weapon.

"Just in case I die."

Flavion didn't respond. They rushed through and turned randomly into different trenches and they finally came to a ramp leading up. Serah gulped and looked at Flavion.

"Are you ready to head into No Man's Land?"

"Yes."

Then both of them surged forwards into the valley of death. It was pure chaos. Hundreds of bullets and lasbeams were firing from everywhere. Bright Lance beams shot past them into the Imperial ranks. A nearby star cannon fired pulsing blue plasma bolts into the Imperial defences. They screeched by Serah and Flavion, impacting on the ground sending dirt skywards. Explosions erupted only a few meters from them. The Philomeleides continued its reign of destruction. The earth shaking beneath the twos feet. A nearby autocannon began it's burst fire, blasting holes in Eldar infantry and blowing hole into vehicle armor.

They were only a few meters away from the Imperial Defence line when the ground began shaking more violently. Serah looked over her shoulder and saw a Wraithlord, charging towards them.

"Keep running!" Serah screamed to Flavion as she stopped to fire at the incoming Eldar walker. It was more than six meters tall and it's limbs were no more than fifteen centimeters in width. The body was almost the same as the Wraithguards only larger and the head was huge. It too wore a loincloth. It wielded and massive sword that was humming and glowing a faded blue. A large wrist gun on its left arm fired the Bright Lance beams. The Wraithlord swung its blade downwards at Serah. She quickly rolled to the side narrowly avoiding the blow. She ran in circles around the machine. It twisted and turned, trying to step on her or swing at her. While running around she saw something more fearsome than the Wraithlord.

It was a massive machine covered in silver. It had gold platings on its central chassis in the shape of an eagle. It's body was stunted and boxlike. It had stubby legs and arms. One, the left, was a massive power claw with a storm bolter on its wrist. The other was a huge Plasma Cannon. One blast from it could wipe out an Imperial Guard platoon. On the center of its body chassis was a large, beautifully crafted skull. It was a Venerable Dreadnaught of the Silver Skulls.

"DIE YOU FILTHY XENO SCUM!" It cried in its deep booming voice. It was distorted by the vox casters in it hull. The voice was like two tectonic plates crashing together, it was so deep that it seemed more like it was a long drawn out bass note. The Wraithlord turned and fired at the Dreadnaught. The Dreadnaught fired it's massive plasma cannon sending a huge ball of energy into the Wraithlord. The armor of the xeno machine melted from the blast, but managed to hold. It in turn charged at the Dreadnaught swinging downwards with its sword. The Dreadnaught batted the blade to the side and smacked the Wraithlord in its head, knocking it to the ground. The Wraithlord then thrust its blade forwards. Surprisingly for the Dreadnaught's size, it was about four meters tall and weighed sixty tons, it was incredibly agile and barely dodged with only a glancing blow. It then reached forwards and grabbed the Wraithlords head and squeezed. The blades cut through the Eldar armor with ease. The Dreadnaught then tore the head from the Wraithlord and through it to the side. It then began to pommel the body into the ground. When the Wraithlords body nothing more than a ruined heap, it turned towards Serah, who watched the display with horror and fascination.

"Greetings young one. You are very brave to take on a foe much more powerful than yourself." It said in its titanic voice. "I am Daeus. Venerable of The Silver Skulls. What is your name Young one?"

Serah stammered. "I-I am Serah Fransches. A soldier of the 747th Cadian Imperial Guard Regiment, my lord."

The Dreadnaught made a small bow, if you could call it one. "It is my honor to meet such a brave warrior, Young Serah."

"Thank you, my lord."

"Come," He said. "we have a war to fight." Daeus said with a chuckle that sound like a daemon eager to eat some tasty souls. Before Daeus could run into the storm of xeno fire, which was smacking against his hull, but he seemed not to notice, a Astartes marched over to Daeus. He too was covered in silver armor. His armor looked ancient. It resembled the "Heresy Armor" that the Astartes wore when the vile Horus was still breathing. His Helmet was that of a Black skull instead of silver. He held a large halberd, which was coated in silver too. There was a storm bolter on his wrist similar to Daeus' only smaller. He wore a tabard of black, with a silver skull in the center.

"Brother Daeus, I am glad to see you are well." said the giant in silver.

"And it is good to see you brother Chaplain." Said Daeus. "This is my good friend, miss Fransches. She fought against a vile Wraithlord by her lonesome."

Serah blushed a deep red. "M-my lord! You do me too much honor!"

The Chaplain looked at her, questioningly. "You fought one? By yourself?"

Serah looked around, but before she could speak, Daeus intervened. "The lass has the thing struggling to hit her. She managed to disorient it very well. I was the one to deliver the decisive blow."

The Chaplain nodded and readied his halberd. "Well then Lady Fransches, are you ready to do the Emperor's will once again?"

"Yes my Lord!" She shouted.

The Chaplain turned and charged at the Eldar without another word. Serah followed after him. Daeus ran forwards firing his plasma cannon. Each blast took out more and more Eldar. They began to charge themselves rather than flee. Serah fired her lasgun into the Eldar forces. The Chaplain met the xenos first, his halberd impaling one in sky blue armor and a mohawk on his helmet. He flung it to the side and spun in a three-hundred-sixty degree arch, splitting Several Eldar in half that tried to surround him. He had his grip on the very base of the halberd and swung one handed. He caught a Eldar witch in the neck, removing the head. He then slid his hand towards the middle of the shaft and thrust forwards impaling another Eldar. He then fired some quick shots into the Eldar masses, each one hitting its mark.

Daeus batted Eldar left and right. He clawed one into separate slices. His Storm bolter fired into the Eldar bodies, sending chunks of xeno flesh in all directions. He fired his plasma cannon into a swarm of Eldar warriors. Their bodies were flying in all directions. Several Eldar that Serah has never seen before came into the fray. They had large curved wings similar to a hawks. They flew down towards Daeus and landed on the top of his chassis. They then stabbed at his body with long spears that looked like flattened beaks.

Serah aimed upwards and fired at them. She felled three of them. One of them turned on her and flew towards her, its spear extended. Serah rolled to the side and fired at the Eldar. The Eldar crashed into the ground. Another lunged downwards. It kicked its feet forwards and slammed into Serah's chest. The force of the blow broke one of Serah's ribs. She cried out in pain as she hit the ground. Her rib was protruding from her flesh. The Eldar raised its spear and thrust downwards at Serah. She painfully rolled to the side. The Eldar kept stabbing at her as Serah continued to dodge. She then slammed her fist into the xenos helmet with all her strength. As it fell backwards she leapt on it and held its neck down to keep it from moving too much. Serah then gritted her teeth and grabbed her rib, she then ripped out the broken bone with all her might. She screamed as it tore more of her flesh. Serah then held her rib like a dirk and slammed it into the Eldar's eyepiece. When the Eldar stopped moving she fell off of it.

She saw yet another one leap down towards her. Before it could land it was hit in the back by a blot shell. The Chaplain ran towards her and grabbed her by the shirt. He then tossed Serah backwards away from the battle. The Chaplain then leapt onto Daeus' back, who was still fending off the Eldar attackers, and challenged the remaining Eldar. He stabbed one in the chest and grabbed another by the throat and crushed it. The last one jumped off of Daeus and flew backwards to prepare for a diving strike from above. The Chaplain then held his halberd like a javelin and threw it into the Eldar's chest, sending it into the ground.

"Brother!" The Chaplain cried out to Daeus as he leapt off of his top. "Why are these xeno fighting so hard?"

"It may have something to do with THAT brother!" Daeus shouted in response, turning in a certain direction.

Both Serah and The Chaplain looked over towards the direction indicated by Daeus. There they saw it. The Avatar of Khaine. A massive giant made of stone and fire that stood over six, maybe seven, meters high. It's body looked like the armor of the Eldar warriors, only fire escaped from the creases and gaps in the armor. At the top of it's head there was a large plume of black hair like a topknot. It wielded a large sword, similar to the Eldar's only this too was caked in fire. It's left hand was drenched in blood. it was constantly dripping large drops in the ground. Everywhere it stepped, the ground was burned to ash.

Serah could hardly believe was she was seeing. "How can be beat such a thing?" She asked aloud to no one.

"Look!" Shouted the Chaplain. "Our Captain is charging it!"


	13. Chapter 13

The Avatar was staring at Garus. It wanted to murder him. Garus replaced his thunder hammer with a lighter blade that he prefer to the hammers weight. This blade was his own, he has slain many with it, but he had no name for it. Garus stood looking up at the mighty war god of the Eldar. He threw down his plasma pistol and gripped the blade with two hands.

"COME AND FIGHT ME MISERABLE CUR!" He shouted at the top of his lungs. The Avatar responded with a roar so terrible it tore at his armor. He stood his ground and ran. The Avatar sliced downwards with it's blade. He lunged to the side and charged again. The Avatar opened it's mouth and out shot massive flames that engulfed him. Garus ran forwards regardless. His armor began to burn and melt in places. Alarms began to sound from his helmet, but he ignored them. He leapt forwards and sliced at the Avatars ankle. the blade cut deep but did go all the way through. The Avatar kicked his foot outwards, sending Garus flying back despite his intense weight. He skidded to a halt and charged again. The Avatar swung it's arm and threw the sword at Garus. It impaled the ground before him. he slid back a few feet. The Avatar then summoned the blade back and it came flying back into it's hands. It threw it again, sending it into the ground just before Garus' feet. He then had a plan. He began to sprint up the blade towards the hilt. The Avatar summoned it back again. As the hilt reached closer to the Avatar, Garus leapt and shot forwards like a bullet. He curled into a ball and slammed into the Avatar's face, knocking it over.

The Avatar fell towards the earth and created tremors in the earth. Garus fell off of the Avatar's face and hit the ground hard. He quickly jumped to his feet and grabbed onto the Avatar's face. He felt his armor burning and slowly becoming molten, but Garus didn't care. He climbed onto the Avatar's face and stabbed downwards into it's left eye. It cried out in pain and swung it's bloody hand at Garus. He pulled free his sword and held it forwards as the hand impacted on the blade. The Avatar roared in frustration and lifted his arm and tried to remove Garus like a splinter in a finger. Garus planted feet on the Avatar's palm and pulled his blade free and fell towards the Avatar's throat. The blade pierced through the Avatar's throat. The Avatar roared in pain as magma erupted from it's throat. Garus tore his blade out of the side of the Avatar's throat. Lava pour out of the Avatar's gaping neck. Garus quickly leapt off of the Avatar before his foot plates completely melted. The Avatar continuously roared out in anguish as it's life was drained from it. The massive being began to lose it's fiery glow. The flames began to die down and extinguish. Garus stood facing the Eldar forces, looking down his nose at them. The fighting seemed to stop for several moments. Garus hefted his blade into the sky so that all could gaze upon it.

It was longer than any mortal man and was thicker wider than one too. The edge was was silver and coated in blood. The center column of the blade was blacker than night. The edge of the blade was so sharp that most armor would split at its edge. Small internal wires inside the blade cause it to course with energy, vaporising the very air around it. The shaft of the handle was long enough for a Terminator to grip in it's powerfist. There were high gothic words embedded in the blades black central column. That glowed as energy flowed through the blade. Several scriptures hung from the blades hilt. The blade itself was straight. The wristguard was in the shape of silver wings. The blade was crackling with energy, light radiated from its surface.

"BEHOLD THE BLADE THAT HAS DEFIED YOUR WILL!" Garus shouted over the battlefield. He now knew the name of his mighty blade.

"BEHOLD THE GLORY OF THE GOD CLEAVER!"

Mel'tan felt his heart stop. He fell to the floor clutching his chest. The pain in his head was intense. He heard the screams of the craftworld's anguish. The Avatar has Fallen. Mel'tan could hardly believe it. The Eldar's god of war has been felled by the Imperials. Mel'tan felt something he thought was removed from his heart once again. Fear. He had not felt so much fear sense he witnessed the summoning of the Avatar, but now it was gone. His fervent pride was struck down so suddenly. Why have the Bel'tan not arrived yet? he thought. We had an agreement! Mel'tan picked himself off of the ground with some great effort.

"Please protect my sweet Elsandria from harm, Isha." He said aloud. As Mel'tan began to retreat back into his mind he heard the sound of feet, both walking and stumbling. He looked up at the doorway of the huge housing chamber of the Avatar. The area was massive and empty save for two doors. One lead to the exit, the other lead to the Avatar's resting place. The huge dome like structure rung with the echos of the coming presences. The other Farseers looked up as well. The doors opened to reveal two Dire Avengers holding an Imperial by the wrists, which were bound by wraithbone. There was one more with them. It was a female, Howling Banshee Exarch. She was wounded, limping along behind the Avengers by a few paces. Mel'tan felt his heart soar.

"Elsandria!" He cried out in joy, rushing forwards to meet her. He ran up and embraced her. He felt her groan a little and released her.

"Sorry." He said.

Elsandria smiled at him. "You have my forgiveness, friend. It is good to see you again."

The elder Farseer walked towards them and said, "It is time you two, prepare yourselves."

Elsandria looked at Mel'tan questioningly. Mel'tan shudder and then looked at the Imperial standing before them. He was a nasty sight.

"What is that thing doing here?" Mel'tan asked.

Elsandria turned to the Imperial. "This is Lucas, the mon'keih wanted to negotiate with us."

Mel'tan snorted, he felt a pain in his head but brushed it away. "The only terms we will agree to is the Imperial forces withdraw their troops and never return."

Mel'tan felt the pain in his head growing incredibly fast. Everyone in the room seemed to feel it too. The Farseers more than the others. The Imperial remained unfazed. Mel'tan looked at the Imperial through bleeding eyes, he was watching the Eldar suffering. "What, what's wrong?" He asked in low gothic. Then it came. The blackness, an empty space in existence.

A black blur slammed into the ground at the center of the chamber, sending cracks through the floor at the impact. The void was kneeling, his fists on the ground and his head low. It was a pariah.

The first Eldar Farseer shot bolts of electricity at the false thing. The bolts were absorbed into the things body. It then stood up slowly, unfazed. It's body was covered in a black , stealth suit body glove from head to toe. There were armor pads along its body. There were six grenades attached to the false thing's back. It's head was a large, metallic skull with one deep red eye in a glaring socket. The other eye was a large device with many lenses and antennas. Cables ran from the back of the device onto the other side of it's head. The tubes connected to a large cylinder device with a cone shaped nozzle at the end. The grinning teeth were fanged and hungry. The false being looked at the Eldar who shot the lightning. The Farseer was crying and wailing. Blood ran out of its eyes, nose, mouth and ears. It's face was pale and deathly.

"What are you!" The Farseer screamed at the top of her lungs.

The false being cocked his head to the side and pondered this. Then he looked back at the Farseer and a voice that could not be anything else but the voice of death, the very sound of it caused Mel'tan to cringe in agony. Pain shot through his body with every syllable. The lenses on the false things head began to light up with a deep whine. Then it spoke.

"I am the crawling darkness, I am the shadow that has no host, I, am, Death."

With those final words the device fired a purplish lance of energy. The blast hit the Farseer in the chest. The blast knocked the Farseer onto the ground. The Farseer screamed as her eyes erupted and her head began to grow. Her head then exploded in a shower of gore and blood. The body began to burn and fry. The second Farseer unleashed a massive blast of pure psychic energy. The force of the blast made the false thing take a step back. The Farseer was then on him. His Witchblade sung forwards to cut the false beings throat, but it was faster. The void side stepped and kicked the Farseer in the face. The blow caused the Farseer to topple backwards. The void then, as if it appeared behind him, had his arm cocked in a ninety degree angle and did not bend it. He then thrust forwards and they all heard an audible crack of the Farseers spine. The Farseer fell forwards and rolled onto it's back. The Void then rushed over and raised it's leg over it's head and brought it down with amazing force. It's heel slammed into the Farseer's skull, sinking the face inwards.

Mel'tan could not believe what he was seeing. Is this the power of a pariah? He thought. The void thing turned towards the others and made a laugh that did not resemble anything of the material realm. The two Dire Avengers aimed their shuriken catapults and fired. The void slid backwards and fired strange needles from a wrist gun that Mel'tan failed to notice. The needles pierced through the wraithbone armor with no effort, killing both Avengers in only four seconds. Elsandria leapt passed Mel'tan to meet the false thing. She sliced forwards in a large arch. The void somersaulted backwards and, when it landed on it's feet, it launched forwards grabbing Elsandria's face. He then threw her to the side, causing her to skid on the ground. The elder Farseer rushed forwards, he unleashed a powerful bolt of warp energy into the void. The bolt sent crackling energy across it's body. Mel'tan heard it groan and grunt loudly as if it were having it's limbs pulled from it's body. Or so he thought at first. He then realized that it was groaning in pleasure. The false thing looked at it's hands and began to laugh in ecstasy.

"YES!" It cried out, the lens on it's device began to glow so brightly that it hurt Mel'tan's already bleeding eyes.

"THIS IS WHAT I LIVE FOR! I LIVE FOR THE SAKE OF KILLING MY ENEMIES!"

It then unleashed a super massive lance of energy at the elder. The beam impacted against the Eldar knocking him back in the air. The energies caused the elder to vaporise in the air. Mel'tan acted before hand and grabbed Elsandria and ran off. The Imperial from before ran with them. Several Guardian squads rushed into the area. The Eldar arrived with their guns ready to fire, but the false being was gone.

* * *

Several beams seared past the Philomeliedes. The mighty machine fired it's massive guns at the Eldar Siege Walkers. One of them, a Wraith class walker, ran across the battlefield with stealth fields activated, attempting to rob Ornis of his targeting, but he didn't need them. Over ten-thousand megatons of nuclear energy shot out of his right cannon and impacted against the hull of the Wraith class walker. The blast annihilated the machine in one hit. The Eldar siege engine erupted in flames and purple energy. Ornis fired another super massive energy lance at a nearby super structure that stood taller than the Philomeliedes. The shot caused the building to explode, sending debris and dust everywhere. He unleashed another wave of earthshatterer shells into the Eldar city. A Warlock class walker emerged from behind a building. It's massive frame walked towards Ornis with a huge sword in it's right hand. He aimed both of his guns on the walker and fired. The hits knocked the walker backwards, eventually causing it to crush several buildings. He then fired four rounds from each of his six meter long heavy siege batteries. The rounds detonated with earth shattering force, which is where their name comes from. The Walker struggled to rise but could not. Onris stomped over to the upper section of the Eldar walker and aimed his left cannon. He fired it directly into the walker's face, causing it to explode. Ornis felt the bloodthirst rush through him. The angry machine spirit wanted more. Ornis tried to remove that thought though and let the Skitarii below him fight the ground forces.

"My Princeps, the Eldar forces have fled the field." said the Moderati. The voice was like someone else's conscience in his head.

"Good," He said. "Send signals to the other Princeps to halt advancement." Ornis then closed his eyes, or more rather, cut hi vision, and sighed deeply. The day had been stressful for him. The constant screams and booms of battle. Massive Titans marched forwards unleashing a wave of death and destruction. The Eldar Walkers inflicted a heavy toll amongst the Imperial forces, but they were too few in number. Ornis had slain five, plus the two recent ones. The war was far from over though, he could feel it.

Onris snapped to attention as he heard the adepts in his head bursting to each other in binary.

"What is wrong?" He demanded.

"The Eldar my princeps!" Screamed the moderati. "Reinforcements have arrived! We're getting reports from everywhere!"

The hull of the Philomeliedes shook as a bright lance cannon impacted against Ornis. The pain was intense. The adepts in his head activated the void shields to prevent further harm. Ornis looked in the direction of the blast and saw several Warlock class walkers approaching his position.

"Get the others over here now!" Onris yelled at the moderati. He fired a blast of his right canno into the first Warlock. These walkers were not from this world he realized. They had emerald green heads with bone white bodies. He fired shots from both of his nuclear cannons. Tearing into the Warlocks, but there were too many. He scanned over eight. He was out numbered. He was scared.


	14. Chapter 14: The End of the draft

Garus grabbed the green and white Eldar by the head and crushed it. He then threw it into another. Hundreds of new Eldar forces were pouring out of webway gates from all directions. The arches were the black and red of Altansar but the forces were not. Garus knew these ones all too well. "Bel'tan has arrived!" He shouted as he swung the thunder hammer in wide arcs, pulverizing Eldar left and right. He put the thunder hammer on full power and slammed it into the ground in front of him. A massive wave of energy sent Eldar in front of him flying away. He saw several Swooping Hawks descending onto his battle brothers. He upholstered his combi-pistol and fired several shots into the flying Eldar. Each bolt hit its mark and felled several Eldar. He holstered his gun and thrusted his hammer into a Eldar warlock, causing it to soar backwards and explode into gore. He continued to hammer the Eldar into nothing but masses of ruined flesh.

In the distance, Garus saw Daeus, the venerable Dreadnaught, slam his power claw into an Eldar skimmer, tearing the side from the rest of it. It exploded in a cloud of purple fire. He then fired a shot from his plasma cannon into a retinue of Eldar council members. The witches were either vaporized or torn apart from the blast.

The Imperial Guardsmen behind the Silver Skulls were unleashing deadly waves of las fire into the Eldar. auto-cannons roared with their bursts of fire. Lascannons spit outwards and hammered the Eldar Grav-tanks. Eldar Warp Spiders appeared in the middle of the Imperial ranks and fired their webspinners into the Guardsmen. A Commissar stood on top of some rubble, sword held in the air, firing a bolt pistol into the Eldar hoards. The unlucky woman was shot in the head by a bright lance platform. The woman was missing her head from the bottom jaw up.

Garus new that even though the Imperials were enacting a heavy toll on the Eldar, they were losing this battle. He stood on top of a fallen Wraithlord and shouted to men and Astartes alike.

"We must make a tactical fallback! All Guardsmen go first! My brothers shall hold the line!"

The Guardsmen began their retreat. The Astartes redoubled their effort to protect the retreating mortals. Garus grabbed a fallen meltagun from a dead guardsman. He fired the gun with one hand. The super heated nova blast vaporized a small group of Eldar Banshees trying to chase the Guardsmen. He then fired again into a pack of Wraithguard. He then threw the melta at the warlock guiding the Wraithguard. He then pulled out his pistol and fired a plasma round at the melta while it was in the air. A large explosion and the warlock and his Wraithguard were no more. Garus leapt from the Wraithlord and landed on top of a Eldar Banshee. His weight crushed the Eldar wench into a pulp. He saw a fellow battle-brother fall to an Eldar in gaudy looking armor. It was blue over all. The helmet was similar to the Dire Avenger Eldar. The mohawk was red and white. A golden crown rested upon his brow. A large soul gem was imbedded in the center. A crimson cape with golden yellow trimming hung low to the ground. Several runes were carved into the blue armor. Strange red rope hung across his chest. Numerous amounts of gems were socketed in his armor. He held a shuriken catapult in both hands. A sword hung at his hip, glowing runes and emblems were carved into the blade. Other fanciful things clung to the Eldar but Garus took no real notice of them.

The Eldar turned towards him and aimed his catapults at him. A direct shot from the shuriken discs would only scratch an Astartes armor but the discs could penetrate the weaker sections of his armor like the joints. The Eldar most likely knew this Garus thought. This xeno was different from the rest, if he could dispatch a space marine with no effort he was going to be a challenge. Garus gripped the thunder hammer and launched forwards. The Eldar waisted to time and fired a volley of shurikens at Garus. The Captain dodged left and right, slipping and sliding from one point to another, avoiding the speeding discs. The Eldar was no fool and cast it's weapons down. It then drew it's glowing blade and ran at Garus. Garus stopped running and swung forwards with the thunder hammer, using the momentum of the run to spin in a circle. The Eldar slid underneath the swing and stabbed upwards into Garus' groin. The blade pierced into the Astartes pelvis. The Eldar quickly withdrew and readied himself. Garus slammed the Hammer down with a grunt. The wound was already being treated by the armors life support systems. He then drew The God Cleaver. The blade struck fear into every Eldar nearby, the memory of their god being felled was still fresh in their minds. Garus thrust forwards. The Eldar sidestepped and swung downwards.

_This is the end of the story. If you think the end is bad then I have to agree with you. The reason is that I stopped here and lost my will to continue. Thanks for reading this. I hope some of it was entertaining. I liked my characters Commissar Forninn and Magos Errant Flavion, so I may keep them and do some work with them and fix them up in their own stories. ALSO. I am well aware that this story needed some major editing, so can the shit posting and over critical reviews be few in number? Once again, thanks for reading._


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